BUDGET airline Ryanair is struggling to convince shareholders of rival Aer Lingus to back its £705m takeover offer and is extending the offer period.
Ryanair, Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s biggest carrier, had set a closing date for acceptance of January 5 but this has now been extended to February 13.
Yesterday, the Dublin-based carrier said it had received acceptances totalling 29.83% of the shares in Aer Lingus, but that includes its own 29.82% stake.
It has offered 1.40 euros a share for the former Irish state airline, just half the price of a previous offer in 2006 which was blocked by the European Commission on competition grounds.
The board of Aer Lingus has vowed to fight the new approach, with the airline’s workers, who control a 14% stake, concerned over job prospects in spite of assurances by Ryanair.
